"There are a fair number of ways rats can run down here. I was hoping to see an easy way up there, but there are stairs leading to who knows where."
Kikinnin moves after Ryan, hoping he only gets to watch the glamour gob get what's coming to him.
Although the words are somewhat different, Marigold is able to recognize the magic as the same sort she'd heard from Maxim in some of their past scuffles.
"તે સ્લીપ જોડણી છે! ત્યાં ઉપર થી!" she cries, though her warning is largely moot as JJ isn't in a position to do anything about it and the others can't understand her. Leaving JJ and the others to worry about the goblins on the ledge, she swings her crossbow around and fires at the square where she heard the chanting come from.
"It's a Sleep spell! From over there!"
As the now-visible goblin caster attempts to flee down a side cavern, Marigold attempts to move up in order to get another shot off with her crossbow - but quickly finds that her line of vision is hampered by friend and foe alike. Hoping that Ryan and Kikinnin can chase it down, she turns her attention back to the remaining goblin on the ledge and fires another shot with her crossbow.
"Marigold says there is someone casting a sleep spell" calls out JJ, as he trades blows with the goblin.
"Look where she is pointing."
Caught unawares by the sleep spell, Juraan falls over unconscious.
:
As Maxim nods in appreciation of his alchemical bombing, he suddenly finds his head nodding, and eyelids heavy...
The gun-mage then crumples with a loud snore.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Marigold's attack, guided by Juraan throw of the flask, finds something, stabbing on the adept her bolt!
Ryan resist the sleeping spell and moves to the adept discharging a powerful blow of his mace on the creature's back.
The accumulation of wounds makes him to faint unconscious.
The snipper goblin demonstrates great skill but JJ's attack, thanks to being stand up already.
Kikinnin moves around the rocky corner to find the goblin and Ryan one next to the other.
Maxim and Juraan land into the ground slept while Marigold shots her crossbow finishing the goblin in font of JJ.
Without any other danger surrounding you have an easy time to finish with the stunned and blind goblins and waking up the sleeping casters.
5x shortswords
8x leather armor
3x crossbows
1x shortspear
1x potion of cure light wounds
1x potion of aid
23 gp
The cavern becomes silent once again.
When the group is ready to proceed, Kikinnin points to what looks like a ladder in the smaller cavern, while he moves around to use the natural stair formation to gain the same height on the other side. If there is indeed a door waiting for him at the top of the stairs, he proceeds to open it, when some of the others catch up.
As the goblin adept sinks to the ground unconscious, Ryan makes sure he will not return to consciousness; before searching the body and the surrounding area, finding what looks like a ladder to the east leading back up.
Ryan understands Kikinnin and goes silently to the ladder climbing it up.
There, the tunnel breaks into a fifteen-foot square room with no graffiti or furnishings of any kind. A makeshift wooden ladder connects the room with the floor of the tunnel ten feet below.
Advancing a bit more he finds to his write an empty chamber.
The northeast and southwest corners of this room have collapsed into rubble. Aside from the debris, the room is empty and bereft of graffiti.
Meanwhile Kikinnin follows up through the natural cavern.
A staircase climbs the north wall of the tunnel, doubling back on itself at one point before rising to meet the floor of a ten-foot-wide fifteen-foot-deep chamber covered in goblin graffiti. The floor of the chamber is twenty-five feet above the floor of the adjoining tunnel.
Climbing the natural stairs and opening the door, brings the dwarf to a corridor. He can see Ryan at the other extreme of it.
Ryan nods to Kikinnin keeping quiet as he is next to a door but doubtful the goblins are in this area, judging from the lack of graffiti. Yet that doesn't mean something else isn't.
Listening at the door, Ryan tries to see if anything is on the other side. If he hears nothing he'll open the door to check the room.
Ryan opens the door to a room without any enemy at the other side. Just food and drinks.
This fifteen-foot-square room contains several wooden crates and casks. Each con tainer bears the symbol of a small black birdcage.
JJ tosses down the goblin snipers bodies to the floor below and then climbs back down to join the others. Stepping past Klikkin he listens at the next door, and gestures for the rest of the group to gather around.
He then opens the door.
This octagonal chamber has a twenty-foot-high vaulted ceiling painted with an elaborate mural depicting a multitude of dwarf artisans raising their hammers high and immersing them in a great flame that fills the ceiling's apex. The flame actually sheds light, bathing the room in flickering orange firelight. However, the room is not particularly warm.
A stern dwarf's visage carved in bas-relief on the northwest wall spews clear water into a large basin that dominates that corner ofthe room. Gems are set into the eyes ofthe stone face. Other furnishings include three sturdy wooden cots covered with wool blankets, a small wooden table, and three matching stools.
On one of the chairs lies sit a young tattooed man with his feet over the table.
Next to the fountain a tiefling female stands looking to the water. She has cloven hooves for feet and spiky horns jutting from her brow.
You do recognize this tiefling as Kallev, the one that killed some guards and was in the jail for a time. Dandarrion remind you before.
It seems the man heard something, but the tieflin is totally surprised when you enter the room!
The man almost instinctively reacts casting a spell and calling his colleague "Kallev! Intruders!"
Mage armor
AC = 22
HP = 34/34
Weapon Equipped = MW Dwarven Greataxe
Condition(s) = None
Kikinnin gives each of the occupants a Look, hoping to understand quickly if they are prisoners or conspirators. Not being bound up is count one against them. Count two follows close behind, as one of them barks 'intruders'.
"Seeing as how the room looks better suited to dwarven occupation, I'd say you're the intruders here. Go one, and explain why we shouldn't cross blades."
He instinctually moves towards the tiefling, never having laid eyes on one before. He steps up for a closer look.
JJ charges into the room!
His sword licks out at the tiefling. "Guard slayer!"
Kikinnin hears JJ bellow something of a curse, then hears the boy bolting across the room. Damn it, can't we stand down for a moment, and talk?!
He thinks of holding the boy back, but the boy's too quick for him...
Despite still feeling sleepy from the Goblin's spell,
Juraan is still sharp enough (just) to recognise the spell.
"He just toughened himself up."
"He's a spell-caster, no doubt of it!"
Juraan then casts a Resistance cantrip on Ryan.
"There! A little magic aid from me, this time around."
Ryan nods in thanks as he whispers a prayer to Abadar, his mace glowing briefly in response.
cast magic weapon
Kikinnin advances himself into the room attempting to talk with the humanoids, but he cannot stop the young and reckless JJ that jumps directly into combat charging towards the tiefling stabbing his sword on her hips.
Juraan casts a resistance spell on Ryan while the cleric enchants his sword with Abadar's faith.
"What?!" shouts the tieflin turning and looking angrily at JJ "You!? Again!?" she draws her halberd and steps closer to the table while attacking JJ.
She swings two fast and fails to get JJ that dodges to his back "So were you not supposed to be alerted against any incoming attack Chorlyndyr???!!!" she shouts at the man.
The man shouts back "The pesky goblins are that inept they have not even alerted us of the attack, what shall I do?!" and pointing to JJ "Who is that man and why does he know you?"
He steps behind Kallev looking for her protection while he starts casting a spell.
Summon monster II
Having once again stumbled across another caster, Marigold does the only thing she knows to do.
"અન્ય ઢાળગર, તેને બહાર અથવા કંઈક કઠણ!" she squeaks as she fires a shot from her crossbow.
"Eep! Another c-c-caster, knock him out or s-s-something!"
"એક રાક્ષસ! તેમણે તેમ એક રાક્ષસ બોલાવવું છે!" she exclaims with fear as she hustles into the room behind JJ and Kikinnin. Quickly, she fires off another bolt at the spellcaster, hoping to ruin his magic.
"A m-m-monster! He's gonna s-s-summon a m-m-monster!"
:
"The jeblin scum have food aplenty - enough vittles for a month..."
As the group enter the room, catching their fell occupants unaware Maxim reaches for bullet and powder - loading his firearm
The gun-mage then moves into the room, a clear shot blocked by his comrades engaging the foes in combat. The dwur scowls, then attempts to discern the nature of spell being cast within the melee;
:
Frustrated the dwur swears, and shifts to where he can get a better shot... moving to Marigold's shoulder :
"Skit! Ain't got a clue what they're mutterin' lil' lady! Ain't too sure what your saying neither! Need to learn that infernal tongue o' yours I reckon..."
AC = 22
HP = 34/34
Weapon Equipped = MW Dwarven Greataxe
Condition(s) = None
Kikinnin thinks on his recent study of the two intruding folks standing in the room. He renews his Look , trying to understand why JJ has flown into a murderous rage, when it's clear they easily outnumber them, six against two. He steps up closer on the pair, uninterested in giving the magic wielders a comfortable distance.
"You, there. If you're thinking about defending yourself here, I strongly suggest you stop speaking words of magic, and start explaining yourself. If you value your lives, surrender here, and we'll not be forced to put you down to defend ourselves."
"Less talk Kikinning, they are murderers and Marigold says the spellcaster is summoning a monster."
Unable to get a flank, and not able to get to the spell caster himself, JJ instead uses his blade against the tiefling while he draws his second weapon.
Ryan moves into the room, hearing Kikinnin's statement to the man casting the spell, and completely missing the the hints at what the man might be casting. Dodging to the left of JJ, and trusting Abadar to let him pass the table still upright, Ryan moves to a spot close to threatening the mage
Should the mage stop his casting Ryan will delay his attack, however if he continues to try and complete the spell
Marigold's bolt is well placed, but after hitting the thick skin of the man it is surprisingly deflected. Her surprise is such, her next bolt goes too high to be a danger for the enemies.
Maxim readies his gun, then moves into the room looking for a clear shot.
Kikinnin looks at the enemies and he feels evilness on the room. The tieflin female answers him "So you do assault our lair with magic and sword and now want to talk dwarf!?"
JJ stabs his sword once again into the tieflin female left arm opening another wound.
Ryan moves through the table and chairs unhindered thanks to his blessings and attempts an attack that lands on the chair.
The woman moves back his halberd at her new enemy "You stop there cleric! We will not allow the church to interpose in our plans here!"
She fails, her facial expression a bit angry.
Meanwhile the man completes his spell and a roiling wave of flesh appears at Ryan's back. Amid the fatty surge wriggle half-formed limbs and a dripping tumorous face.
The creature attacks the cleric.
One of the claw attacks slashes through Ryan's back opening a wound.
Chorlyndyr seems satisfied as his devil lands a hit "Kallev start to be useful or we will be in trouble here! The Blue Duke will know of your incompetence"
He then side steps next to Ryan and casts a spell producing a small bolt of acid that darts over the Abadar cleric.
The arrow hits him burning his skin with the acid.
As the mage begins another spell Ryan attempts to clear the chair and foil the attempt.
Continuing his attack around into the tiefling, taking advantage of Kikinnin's distracting talk.
Juraan casts a Resistance cantrip on himself and then enters the room.
Juraan walks into the room and, not knowing what that creature can and can't take, fires a Magic Missile at it:
"He's summoned a devil!" hollars JJ
"Like the ratman he is vulnerable to silver, or holy weapons, and baked in the fires of hell, he's immune to them himself."
Angry that such a creature be called, JJ redoubles his assault on the Tiefling.
"Murderer! You'll rot in jail if I get my way. But I'd not risk my fellows lives trying to keep you alive."
The cold iron of his family sword once again taste outsider blood!
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
AC = 22, 24 against Kallev
HP = 34/34
Weapon Equipped = MW Dwarven Greataxe
Condition(s) = Smite Evil
"Less talk, Kikinnin..."
"So you do assault our lair with magic and sword and now want to talk, Dwarf!?"
"Kallev start to be useful or we will be in trouble here! The Blue Duke will know of your incompetence."
Kikinnin's feathers ruffle as both JJ and Kallev berate him for trying to facilitate an exchange of information, but he holds his tongue against the boy, as it appears JJ's dander is up. As for Kallev, he speaks, plainly enough.
"No, Kallev Forktongue, I want you to talk. Tell us all about the Blue Duke, for we've heard his name before, and we'll know it some more. Heard about Asmodeo, and half-orc mercenaries running rampant. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"
To punctuate his growing irritation, he brings his weapon around, a light glow taking to the head of the axe.
"I'll just encourage you to surrender here with a swing of my axe for every swing of your halberd."
As the terrible mass of shapeless flesh pops into existence, Marigold gapes at it for a moment - surprisingly it's not fear she feels but sick fascination.
How does something like that even exist?
But the creature's vicious claw attacks on Ryan are a sharp reminder that they're fighting for their lives and possibly more - there's no time for navel-gazing. She raises her crossbow and fires yet again at the male caster, hoping the others could handle the tiefling and the strange monster.
As their foes summon infernal help, Maxim swings his aim toward the creature.
"Picked the wrong folks to menace hellspawn!"
Levelling his pistol he charges it with arcane essence , the pulls the trigger
:
:
The gun-mage then reloads his pistol with a Alchemical Cartridge
Ryan scores a great blow on the human caster, but he manages to hold his concentration and terminate his acid spell.
The cleric follows on with a terrible blow that breaks the tieflin left leg. The female shouts totally in pain.
Juraan instead decides to target the devil, his magic missiles flying through the room and bursting infallibly over the disgusting mass of flesh.
JJ's intensification on the assault over the tieflin comes with a prize, as he stabs his sword on her, she falling to the floor unconscious as that becomes too much for her to hold.
When Kikinnin is up to smite the tieflin he sees her falling, and he instead steps up towards the caster and releases his axe over him.
The man caster barely holds his toes after the axe cuts him at the height of the chest.
Marigold bolt goes too high while Maxim's bullet goes true into the devil. The bullet though seems to not deal the expected amount of damage over the creature.
The lemure keeps his attack with both claws over Ryan.
But his armor succeeds on deflecting it.
The acid on Ryan's side burns again, then dissipates.
Chorlyndyr shouts back at Kikinnin "You will never have your answers if you do not stop this battle now" with a worried expression on his face.
He though casts a spell at the defensive.
And two spheres of force burst on Ryan's chest dropping him to the floor unconscious under the great pressure.
Chorlyndyr moves then next to the closer door, just in front of Maxim and behind the lemure.
AC = 24, against Chorizo
HP = 34/34
Weapon Equipped = MW Dwarven Greataxe
Condition(s) = Smite v Chorizo
Kikinnin almost doesn't hear Chorlyndyr, as Ryan slumps to the ground from the mage's thrust.
"Call off your devil, and I won't kill you right here and now."
The black-beard draws back his heavy blade, but doesn't yet swing it.
Juraan fires another Magic Missile at the Lemur
He then moves near the fallen tiefling.
Chorlyndyr ponders with care Kikinnin's words.
Juraan's magic missiles burst the lemure removing him permanently from the Primary Plane.
It's a grim smile on Ryan's face as his attack connects with Kallev. Alek always said, what would get me killed was over extending. Attack from the edges, getting surrounded was a sure way to get a sword in the back As that thought crosses his mind, it's actually his side that flares with pain as more of the acid burns into him, sinking to the floor.
As darkness descends on the cleric in the present he returns to the training yard, Alec preaching at him about failing to remain in control about where he was on the battlefield....
As Juraan removes the lemur-shaped chess piece from the board, Kikinnin grimaces, but doesn't look away from Chorlyndyr. "Alright, looks like you'll need to demonstrate another sign of submission, now that your devil's done."
JJ steps up behind the mage, smacking him with the flat of both his blades.
"This'll hurt, but not kill you. Just yet. Surrender"
"I think he submitted." adds JJ.
"Sorry Kikkinnin, but that tiefling... she killed some town guards a few years ago. She's a murderer and would have done so ago to us, I have no doubt."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Your apology's not necessary, JJ. You obviously knew the creature, and its dark history with the guard. One moment you damn it to rot in jail. The next, she's lying on the floor, dying. I'm only asking that we remember ourselves when there's knowledge to be gained in talking."
Kikinnin looks unsure about which of the dying on the floor he moves to next.
"I'll be the first to admit that ridding ourselves, and Cauldron, of the gobs and orcs and bugs and rats is clear enough to me, that we can end 'em, and we're justified. These two here," the black-beard points to Kallev and Chorlyndyr, "these two must be held to a different standard. Unless the Guard wants to deputize us, these two must face a proper justice, above. Hells, we don't even know what they're guilty of. Yet."
"Speaking of bleeding out.."
JJ goes over to check on Ryan, providing first aid as necessary.
He then approaches the foul Tiefling and does the same for it.
"I'll happily send it to rot in jail, or likely dance to the hangmans tune. But not at the cost of any of our lives. That halberd could have taken any of our heads."
He sighs.
"Were we on the streets of Cauldron itself, I'd not argue the toss with your Kikinnin. But here, in this goblin den, two people, one descended from the demons that our ancestors fled, and the other summoning such creature to this world. I'll not slay them out of hand, but I'd not go easy on them in the hope they turn out friends. What was that blue duke you were talking of earlier?"
1x Masterwork dagger
1x masterwork halberd
1x scroll of see invisibility
1x cloak of resistance +1
1x +1 studded leather armor
1x brooch of shielding (24 points remaining)
1x potion
1x amulet
potion of cure moderate wounds
amulet of natural armor +1
The original purpose of this room is lost to time, although the basin seems to fill with fresh water from the caldera. Small holes in the floor of the basin allow the water to seep out, and a thin stone lip around the edge of the basin keeps the water confined.
The fiery light emanating from the ceiling seems the kind of produced by a permanent magic.
The cots, table, and stools are meager furnishings at best, but they serve. It is remarkable there are three chairs and three cots in the room.
With Ryan still unconscious, JJ takes one of the healing potions that was recovered earlier and feeds it carefully to the priest.
"Come on man, come round. You can do it." It's clear he is worried about the priest. "Marigold... would your stick work on him?"
As the fighting ceases Maxim nods toward their prisoner's;
"Agree we should hand 'em o'er. Makes sense to set their tongues waggin' first though..."
The gun-mage then moves to the recovered loot, attempting to use his cantrip and knowledge of arcane magicks to discern what he can:
:
The dwur holds the potion aloft;
"Powerful healing in this one. Cure Moderate Wounding..."
:
"The amulet's got me stymied tho..."
"R-r-right," Marigold sighs, lowering her crossbow now that the battle is finished. Although JJ's use of a potion does bring Ryan around, there's still much work for her to do.
"Th-th-this th-th-thing is almost empty..." Marigold frowns as she looks at the wand. "I know we f-f-found th-th-this one, b-b-but I w-w-wonder if w-w-we could get s-s-some s-s-sort of discount on th-th-the next one. A 'f-f-frequent customer' th-th-thing or s-s-something..."
Or maybe a bigger wand in general. The boys have toughened up enough that these things don't seem as effective as before.
"G-g-good idea on t-t-taking th-th-them alive," she adds, staring at the unconscious tiefling with a mixture of fear and curiosity. "I've not s-s-seen one of her kind b-b-before, b-b-but I've heard a little about them. I thought p-p-people were j-j-joking about them b-b-being d-d-demon-blooded b-b-but now..." she shivers.